Arthashastra
An ancient Sanskrit treatise on governance, political economy, law, diplomacy, and military strategy, traditionally attributed to Kautilya.
Kautilya: An ancient Indian teacher and political thinker traditionally identified as the author of the Arthashastra. The treatise's traditional authorship and political counsel are associated with him.
Mauryan Empire: An ancient South Asian empire founded by Chandragupta Maurya in the late fourth century BCE. The treatise's political world is often connected with the empire's centralized rule.
Chandragupta Maurya: The founder of the Mauryan Empire, who ruled much of northern India in the late fourth and early third centuries BCE. Later tradition links Kautilya and the treatise to the founding of his empire.
Ashoka's edicts: Royal inscriptions issued by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, promoting dhamma and recording policies and proclamations. They present kingship through public ethical messages, unlike the treatise's administrative analysis.
Saptanga theory: A theory of the state as seven interdependent elements: ruler, ministers, territory, fort, treasury, army, and ally. It supplies the treatise's core model of what makes a state capable.
Ancient Indian taxation: Systems of revenue collection used by ancient Indian states to fund government and military activity. The text details revenues, assessments, and state oversight of economic production.
R. Shamasastry: An Indian Sanskrit scholar who discovered a manuscript of the Arthashastra and published its first edition and translation. His early twentieth-century work brought the long-lost text to modern scholarship.
Manusmriti: An influential Sanskrit text on dharma, social duties, and legal norms. It emphasizes normative social and legal order more than the Arthashastra's strategic statecraft.
Mandala theory: A model of interstate relations in which neighboring rulers are potential enemies and more distant rulers potential allies. It frames the Arthashastra's analysis of alliances, rivals, and expansion.
Ancient Indian espionage: The use of informants and covert agents by ancient Indian rulers to gather intelligence and influence events. The Arthashastra assigns spies roles in detecting threats and testing officials.